Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) sealed the 2025 Moto3 World Championship in style with a win at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia.
A dramatic race ended early in a Red Flag, causing a parc ferme shuffle before the podium was confirmed as Rueda, Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Guido Pini (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) following post-race penalties for Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) and Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team).
Plenty of riders got a brilliant launch but it was Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) who emerged from Turn 1 in the lead, with David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Fernandez and early P2 and P3. Rueda dropped to P13 by the end of Lap 1, while title rival Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) had made great progress – the #36 was up to P6. That turned to P4 on Lap 2 as the Spaniard got his elbows out, with Fernandez and Quiles now ahead of Kelso at the front of the freight train.
At the start of Lap 5, Piqueras was forced to run wide after being sandwiched by Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Muñoz, which saw Piqueras drop to P10, one place behind Rueda. Then, one of the frontrunners was on the floor as Kelso tumbled out of contention at Turn 10 to end his podium hopes in Indonesia.
Lap 7 saw Quiles lead for the first time as Rueda climbed to P6. It was a front group of twelve and at this stage, Piqueras was eighth – but with Quiles leading, Rueda wasn’t yet in a title-winning position. However, later around the lap, he was. Rueda was up to P3 at the halfway stage and as things stood, the Moto3 crown would be his.
On Lap 12 of 20, Rueda remained in a title-winning place. He was P2, Quiles was nipping at his heels in P3, while Piqueras was struggling to make progress in P9. Fernandez was leading the way until the #99 slid through into the lead at Turn 10 on Lap 13. Did the chasers have a response, or was Rueda about to clinch his first World Championship title in the perfect way possible?
It was getting better for Rueda too because Quiles dropped to P8, one place behind Piqueras, before three riders crashed at Turn 16 on Lap 14. Carpe, David Almansa (Leopard Racing) and Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) were down and out of contention and then, Quiles and Piqueras were handed Long Lap penalties for short cutting Turn 9 as the drama amped up.
Barring a mistake from Rueda, something he’s barely made all season, the 2025 title was about to be his. Piqueras took his Long Lap on Lap 17 and the #36 was then P8, but Quiles continued on his way in P4.
With three laps to go, Rueda was leading until Turn 10. Muñoz then slipped up the inside to take the lead before huge drama for the #64 as Fernandez attacked him and made contact, with Muñoz left skittled out into the run off and the #31 in the lead.
Rueda then hit the front but just after he’d taken over, the red flag came out. With the countback, not only was Rueda was officially the 2025 Moto3 World Champion – after a double Long Lap penalty was handed to Fernandez, Rueda was also the winner in Indonesia. Quiles completed his Long Lap penalty just before the red flag but it wasn’t soon enough to count, and the #28 was handed a three-second post-race penalty. That promoted Lunetta to P2 and Pini to P3, the latter celebrating his first Moto3 podium.
Quiles dropped to P4 after his penalty, as Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) collected his best result of the season – and his Moto3 career. Fernandez ended the race in P6, with Piqueras seventh as he sees his title chances officially disappear. Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI), Stefano Nepa (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Kelso, despite his crash, completed the top 10 in Indonesia.
Now it’s next stop Australia, with the crown secured but plenty still on the line as a spectacular season of Moto3 competition rolls on!
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